


Brolin in the Theatre

by SlantedKnitting



Category: Merlin (TV) RPF
Genre: M/M, RPF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-14
Updated: 2012-01-14
Packaged: 2017-10-29 11:46:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/319565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlantedKnitting/pseuds/SlantedKnitting
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <div class="center">Bradley takes Colin on a date, but Colin doesn't know.</div>
            </blockquote>





	Brolin in the Theatre

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into 中文 available: [[Translation]Brolin in the Theatre爱他就带他去剧院](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6425374) by [AlinaLiu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlinaLiu/pseuds/AlinaLiu)



Bradley had always known that Colin was gay. Colin never said it and Bradley never asked, but he always knew. He used to try to give hints to let Colin know that he knew, to let Colin know that it was okay to talk about, that he didn't care, that it was really no big deal, and that he shouldn't hide it.

But subtlety had never been Bradley's strong suit. Usually he didn't even bother with it. He knew that he was too loud and obvious for it, so he always aimed for loud and obvious. But on the occasion that he did aim for subtlety, he usually missed by quite a bit and landed in completely obscurity instead.

He didn't realise how badly he'd missed this time until the end of dinner. Until then, things had been going great. He'd put on his flirting A-game and had made Colin laugh more times than he could count. He'd been charming and suggestive and he even wore the aftershave that Colin has asked about once.

It was going as well as any date ever had. Colin was friendly and relaxed and actually happier than Bradley had seen him in a while. He was less tired than he was while they were filming. He looked more himself, more content with his life.

But then Bradley paid for both their meals and Colin tensed and his face became a bizarre slideshow of emotions. At first he looked confused and possibly indignant that Bradley thought he couldn't pay for his own food. Next, he looked alarmed. Truly alarmed, scared even, and that was when Bradley realized that his attempt at subtlety had failed. Colin had no idea that Bradley knew he was gay. He'd spent the past four years under the impression that he had a secret and that Bradley didn't know this one fact about him.

And then, just before Colin gained control of his face and pulled on a completely neutral expression, he looked, for the briefest moment, wonderfully confused. Bradley could practically see the question written across Colin's forehead: does Bradley fancy me?

But then the moment was gone and Colin was just blankly watching their server walk away with Bradley's money. Bradley twirled the stem of his empty wine glass nervously, wondering how he should explain himself. He really thought that Colin knew this was a date, knew that Bradley had finally gotten up the courage to ask (and found the perfect thing for them to do together). He had always thought that Colin knew that he knew. He thought they had had a silent understanding - Colin was gay and Bradley was okay with that.

They had both been wrong.

"Um," Bradley said stupidly. He didn't know how to make this right. He had no idea where to begin to explain himself. They had four years of misunderstandings hanging between them.

"We should go," Colin said, his voice measured and calm and completely emotionless. "Don't want to be late."

Bradley nodded and followed Colin out of the small vegetarian restaurant he had chosen. He had thought he'd been so obvious this time. He'd phoned Colin, said he'd gotten tickets for _Hamlet_ and found a vegetarian restaurant near the theatre that had a passable menu and would Colin like to join him for a night out. He'd been so nervous and Colin had sounded so pleased and reassuring on the line. He had thought it was so obvious.

It only took Bradley three minutes to decide what he should do. So, when Colin wasn't paying attention, when Colin was checking to see if there were any cars coming before they crossed a street, Bradley took his hand.

Colin immediately pulled it back and held it in his other hand, acting as though Bradley's skin had burned him. "What are you doing?" he asked, clearly panicking.

"Holding your hand," Bradley said, keeping his voice steady as he reached for Colin's hand again. Colin let him take it this time, but his grip was stiff and awkward. "I guess I should have been clearer on the phone. I wanted this to be a date. A proper date, with dinner and a movie and everything."

Colin's hand relaxed just the tiniest bit, and Bradley took advantage of that and shifted his grip until their fingers were laced together. He couldn't help but grin at Colin's blush.

"We're not seeing a movie," Colin finally said.

"No," Bradley agreed. "But we've seen plenty of movies together already. I thought a play might be more, I don't know, special."

"Special," Colin repeated. Bradley was relieved to see a smile tugging on the corners of Colin's lips. "So, is this really what a date with Bradley James is like - thoughtful choices on food and activity?"

Bradley squeezed Colin's hand and couldn't help the thrill of excitement he got when Colin squeezed back. "I guess I have a bit more explaining to do at some point."

Colin nodded. "That would be nice. I take it that means you've been planning this for some time."

"Not so much planning, no," Bradley explained. "I've been thinking about it for years, though."

Colin tactfully pulled his hand out of Bradley's grip as they approached the theatre. "I didn't know you fancied men," he said in a low voice.

Bradley shrugged and started searching in his pockets for their tickets. "It doesn't happen very often. Usually it's just sort of a one-time thing. Very little feelings involved." Bradley could feel Colin eying him curiously, so he continued nervously. "It took me a while to realize that wasn't the case with you, that I didn't just want, well." He trailed off, not wanting to say the word.

There was a long pause and Bradley handed Colin his ticket, unable to meet his eye.

"Why now?" Colin asked. "I can't pretend this isn't completely unexpected on my end."

Bradley shrugged again, wishing they were somewhere more private than the pavement outside a busy theatre. "I know you love _Hamlet_ ," he said stupidly, feeling that wasn't much of an explanation, but not entirely sure how to share his thought process with Colin. He knew it was risky, asking his co-star out on a date, asking his very private and quiet and shy and supposedly straight friend out on a date. But he had been wanting this for years and he had always known that Colin was gay. And he had always known that Colin loved _Hamlet_. And if his crush on Colin hadn't gone away in four years (and it really hadn't, in fact it had grown into something much more scary and much less childish), then he thought it might be okay to risk revealing his feelings. If his crush hadn't gone away in four years, it wouldn't go away during a fifth and it wouldn't ruin their careers to try something. It wouldn't ruin the show to try to make themselves and each other happy.

"I do love _Hamlet_ ," Colin said happily. Bradley looked up and grinned, suddenly feeling that the evening was back on track and that he had finally gotten something right.

"Good," Bradley said, nudging Colin's shoulder with his own as they finally made their way inside. "Anyway, I was thinking, for part three of our date, coffee and dessert at some dingy late-night cafe."

Colin snorted slightly. "That sounds distinctly more typical of you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Bradley asked in mock offense.

"Exactly what I said. Coffee and dessert is something you do all the time. Vegetarianism and Shakespeare is fairly out of the ordinary."

"You said it was thoughtful!" Bradley pouted and was immensely pleased to see Colin's gaze linger on his lips. A dangerous warmth settled in his stomach at the thought that their date might end with a kiss. He wondered if he maybe Colin would agree to come back to his flat for coffee, or maybe even for beer, and they could talk about the play and flirt in the privacy of his living room and maybe do more than just kiss.

Colin's fingers brushed against his as they walked down the aisle to their seats and Bradley mentally shook himself. There wasn't a day that had gone by in years that he didn't want to shag the living daylights out of Colin, but he had promised himself that he would take this slow. He honestly had no idea what it was like to be in a relationship with a man, or even date a man, and he didn't want to ruin things with Colin by immediately jumping into bed. He knew that Colin deserved better, deserved to be courted and wooed and slowly seduced.

But kissing would be fine. A few teasing pecks before they parted ways. A hint of tongue and a promise of so much more to come. And then a hug, which was rare for them because Colin didn't like to touch or be touched. And Bradley had always tried hard to care and respect that, but found himself constantly drawn into Colin's personal space anyway. And while Colin backed away from other people who stepped too close, he had never backed away from Bradley.

"I'm going to run to the loo before it starts," Colin whispered, his tongue practically in Bradley's ear. Bradley tried and failed not to shiver from Colin's hot breath all over his neck. He nodded, finding himself speechless, and watched as Colin stood and crawled over him. Colin licked his lips as he straddled Bradley's thighs, then walked off to find the loo as if nothing obscene had just happened.

"Fuck," Bradley muttered, shifting slightly in his seat. But this was going to be brilliant. Now that Colin knew, now that he finally understood what was going on and how Bradley felt and what Bradley wanted, now that everything was clear, he was being a complete tease. Touching Bradley, whispering in his ear when talking would have sufficed, licking his lips (which were obscene in and of themselves and were enough to make for a very awkward day on set if Bradley let his thoughts get too carried away).

Bradley quickly changed the plan in his head. They would get dessert to-go and take it back to his flat, where they would have some beers and talk about the play, and then song each other senseless on his couch. For hours. And, really, the dessert and beer and talking were entirely optional.

Colin came back just as the house lights were going down, so he didn't have time to tell Colin about his revised plan. He knew from experience that Colin didn't like to be disturbed when he was watching a film, and he couldn't imagine it was any different for a play. He did let himself lean into Colin slightly, and was relieved to feel Colin lean back against him. Their arms were pressed against each other and Bradley was practically overheating from the slight intimacy, but luckily it was dark so no one could see how flushed he was.

The play was long, but Colin loved it, and Bradley got drawn into it, too. It was a brilliant production and he was glad (impressed, even) that he had thought of such a date. Once they had left the theatre and managed to separate themselves from the crowd, Colin reached for Bradley's hand again. Bradley grinned, still high from the undeniable pleasure of seeing a live performance.

"I was thinking," Bradley said, barely caring that his voice revealed his nervous excitement. "How about we get dessert to-go. I have beer in my fridge. Or we could skip the dessert altogether. And the beer."

Colin chuckled and brushed his thumb along Bradley's. "I don't need dessert, but a beer sounds nice."

"Excellent!" Bradley placed a quick kiss to Colin's jawline, too giddy to stop himself, and then started tugging Colin in the direction of his flat.


End file.
